So much for Time Alone
by infinitemoonx
Summary: Day 3 fic of Joshaya week - Josh finds out about Maya's family troubles. When Maya decides to shut everyone out, Josh doesn't take no for an answer.


**So I literally just found out about Joshaya appreciation week this morning, and just HAD to write something, since they're one of my fav otp's right now. This is the first time I've written something on them, and It's not great, and tbh im not that satisfied, but eh it'll have to do. Promise I'll be writing something better for later days.**

 **Day 3: Josh Finds Out about Maya's Family Troubles**

He sat there, his body limp from the revelation. Never had he imagined in his whole life the reality of Maya Hart. Sure, he knew she was going through some 'family problems', but he didn't specifically know how bad it was. And now when his older brother was retelling the events as they sat on his couch in the living room that had surpassed this evening at Topanga's – he was shell-shocked, to say the least.

No girl should have to go through that amount of pain. It broke his heart, seeing all that emotional turmoil just building up inside her. After the arrival of the storm, in the form of her father, Joshua Matthews knew that Maya Hart needed to let it all out. Keeping all those distraught emotions inside would only destroy one day or the other. And it seemed that today was the day they had been pushed to the limit.

She refused to speak to anyone, saying she needed time alone. He figured as much, witnessing the showdown between her father and her at Topanga's. But even Riley and his own older brother? He didn't expect _that_. They were as thick as thieves, inseparable to say the least. And Maya was practically Cory's adopted daughter, given the frequent amount of times she was always over here.

The voice of Cory Matthews brought him out of his reverie, causing him to look up from the carpeted ground, up into the gaze of his older brother. "But you know your niece, Josh. She didn't intend to give up on her best friend that easily."

He knew the rest. Riley had ran after her out the doors of Topanga's. Speak of the niece, she entered through the doors of her home, a defeated look on her face.

"So?" Cory started. "Is she okay?"

"I wish I knew." Riley walked over to her father's embrace with a defeated sigh. "She _won't_ talk to me, Dad. I persistently followed her all the way to her apartment, but she closed the door in my face. And then she used the pretense of our ring power and friendship to drive me away. She said if she ever thought of me as her friend, then I should leave and go back home immediately." She looked up at her father, unsure and tears starting to form. "What do I do, Dad? I want to be by her side, let her cry her heart out! But she just hasn't said a word since the confrontation, other than wanting to get away from us." She still remembered the look on her best friend's face. It was pale, more so than usual, devoid of color and splendor. Not one single emotion etched on the visage.

"Well Riley, if time alone is what she wants, then that's what she'll get." Riley didn't understand her father's words. Weren't friends always supposed to be there for each other? It was her duty to be there by her right now, and unfortunately she wasn't. Her best friend wouldn't let her.

"Just give her some time. I know you care about her, but this is something she needs to deal with on her own. And trust me, it'll only make her so much stronger when she comes out of this."

Riley gave her father a tight embrace, trusting his words, just hoping that he was right. "Really?"

Cory smiled back at her daughter. "Really." He pulled out of his daughter's embrace and started to stand up from the couch they were sprawled on.

"Now how about some hot chocolate? I'm sure Josh could use some too." He looked over to the spot on the couch that Josh was sitting on, but saw nothing except empty air.

"Josh?" Where did he go off to? He didn't… oh my. So much for time alone.

 **-0-0-0-**

Joshua Gabriel Matthews ran as fast as he could, his feet running on his own accord down the streetlight-lit streets of New York. Maya Hart couldn't escape Joshua Matthews, because Josh didn't take _no_ for an answer.

He rang the doorbell. Once. Twice. A million times. But each time, no answer. He wouldn't give up yet. He backed up, standing outside her apartment so that he was in clear view from her bedroom window.

Maya was in her bed in her room, a chest of old belongings sprawled out across the mattress. Not a word was said as her eyes peered into her father's possessions, possessions that he had so lovingly given her once upon a time. She gave a disdained chuckle, somewhat laughing at her cruel fate.

A ring of her cellphone moved her gaze from the family photo in her hands to the object of interest. It was an unknown number. Who could be calling at this hour? _Riley._ She was probably using a payphone or something to trick her.

"Riley, I said I just – "

"Open the door, Maya."

Her eyes dilated in shock. She hadn't heard that voice in, well it seemed an eternity. Months, to say the least. In fact, she hadn't heard it since the dreadful night where she had decided to crash a college party, and end up confessing her true feelings and be humiliated in the process.

After recuperating from an initial shock, she found her voice. Not even _his_ presence would get her to budge. Especially not _him._ She didn't need the pain and remembrance of unrequited love to add to her misery. Why didn't anyone understand she just wanted to be alone? "No thanks. I don't need a Matthews ambassador."

"It wasn't a question, Maya. It's an order – come down."

"Just because you're three years older than me Josh doesn't give you the right to tell me what to do. You're not the boss of me."

"Fine. Then I guess I'll just stay here until you _do_ come down."

 _WHAT?!_ She sprang up her bed in fear of what she was actually thinking might be true. When she cleared the curtains away, her suspicions were proved true.

There he was. Joshua Gabriel Matthews in full form. She couldn't believe her eyes, so much so in fact that she had to blink them a couple of times just to be sure. She had just thought that he wasn't actually there, and Riley was using him to get her to come out, but that wasn't the case. He was genuinely here, here because maybe he cared.

Suddenly she became overwhelmed with his sight, unable to control anything any longer. It was too much now, she couldn't bear all this pain bottled up inside.

And the final pin in the coffin occurred when his voice came through her cellphone, which was still attached to her ear as she looked down at him. "Please, Maya. Just come down. I know you're hurting way more than you're letting on, I just want to share your pain." His voice cracked as he spoke, and she could take it no longer.

Her legs ran on her own accord, sprinting out of her room, and out the entrance of the apartment door.

Josh felt the wind being knocked out of him momentarily when she rushed out, colliding into his chest with the tightest embrace he had ever been in. Maya was holding on to him for dear life, handfuls of his shirt in her small fists. Wet tears stained his t-shirt as she finally let it out, crying to her heart's content, while he found his footing again and wrapped his arms around her as if she was the most delicate in fragile thing in the universe.

She continued to sob into his chest, clinging on to him as if he was the only thing that she had left. "Why _me_ , Josh? Why? It's not fair! Why did he do it? Why weren't we good enough for him?" Why was she destined with the crap-filled life? A life where her father had felt his family wasn't good enough and hence left them to fend on their own, and the boy she was hopelessly in love with was too old for her and rejected her advances. Why was it so cruel? What did she do to deserve this despair, pain, and grief?

He didn't say anything to her questions. Because they weren't questions to be answered. He knew she didn't want 'i'm sorry''s and other words of pity and sympathy. Instead, he just held on to her, running his hands through her hair and muttering words of assurance like 'shh, i'm here'.

Maya felt the burden on her shoulders being lifted with Josh's selfless support. He didn't need to say _anything_. Just having him here had said it all.

 **And there you have it. Might have a part 2 of this if anyone's interested.**

 **Yeah not my best work at all. Sorry guys, wish I could write half as well as you awesome writers. - Addie**


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